Rail-joint.



PATENTED NOV. 22, 1904.

j.. PALMER.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED um. 20.1904.

N0 MODEL.

No. Waarna.

llivrrnn @rares rea-esteri november es, ieee.

llrrrnrrr Urraca.

VHEELER E. PALB'ER, OF ROCHESIER, N ENV YORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. YP/5,852, dated November 22, 1904.

i Application tiled February 20, 1904. Serial No, 194,580. (No model To /r/ZZ '1r/"1on1, il? may cm1/cern.

Be it known that fl', kunnen E. PALMER, a citizen otl the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented new and usetullimn'ovei ments in Rail-Joints, ot' which the 'following' is a specification.

This invention relates to rail-joints or splice means for railroad-rails; and the primary object of the same is to provide a joint having structural features which will overcome the detects of ordinary joints as to the noise and jar incident to car-wheels moving' thereover and the loosening' of the parts of the joint itself, thereby obviating damage to the rails and injury to the rolling-stock, aswell as inconvenience and jar to the traveling public.

A further object of the invention is to ernbody in a railroad-joint a construction which will so unite the rails as to make them pra tically continuous and to prevent depression otl the joints occurring' between ties by the application to the under parts of the contiguous ends of rails ot bracing' means adapted to be easily disposed between the ties and readily accessible in the operations ot' applying the 'parts to the united rail ends, as well asin the i disassociation of the rails.

`Wth these and other objects and advantag'es in view the invention consists in the construction and arrangement ot' parts, which will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

ln the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a rail-joint embodying the features oit the invention and shown applied to contiguous rail ends. Fig'. 2 is a transverse vertical section through the joints, showing' theparts in full partially secured. Fig. 3 is a view similarto Fig. 2, showing' the parts fully secured. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view ot' one ot' the members of the rail-joint.

Similar numerals ot' reference are employed to indicate corresponding'parts in the several views.

The numerals l and 2 designate rail-secu tions having their contiguous ends 3 beveled to avoid the jar and vibration incident to carwheels movlng' over a transversely-straig'ht l joint. The rail-joint has twosplice members Il 4, precisely siinilarin constructionand clearly f shown in detail by Fig'. si. Each member 4 lhas a base-Hangs 5, which is horizontally straight, and above the same is a downwardlyl inclined covering-'liange b, integrally rising from the outer edge ot the flange 5, the space 7 between the two irtng'es being of such dimensions as to practically embrace one-halt' ot the base-flanges ot the rail-sections l and. 2. Rising from the inner terminal ot' the `flange 6 is a yielding' fish or locking plate 8, which norxfnally 'llares outwardly, as clearly shown by Fig'. 2, the upper end of the lockjecting rib 9, which extends the i'ull length thereof. Depending from the center of the base-flange 5 is anl integral brace-block orenlarg'en'ient lO, with opposite inwardly-beveled corners ll to prevent the saine from becoming' jammed between the contiguous edges ot the ties. Extending centrally through the brace-block or enlargement .l0 is an opening' 12 to receive a coupling bolt or rod 13, having nuts le applied to the opposite ends thereot', or said rod or bolt may have a head onone end and a removable nut on the other.

ln applying' the members 4lthey aremoved sidewise toward the contiguous ends ot' the I 1ail-sections until the base-llang'es of the latter l l l l l a l ing or lish plate 8 having an inwardly-proi l l are fully seated in the spaces 7. The coupling' rod or bolt 13 is then .inserted through the alined brace-blocks or enlargements l0 and secured. '.lhe locking or lish plates 8 will stand outwardly away Yfrom the opposite sides of the webs ot' the rail-sections, and through openings therein which are adapted to coincide with the usual bolt-openings in said sections scenringbolts 15 are passed and have nuts and washers 16 applied to the screwjusted inward to .torce the yielding or resilient locking' or lish plates 8 ag'ainst the opposite sides ot' the webs of the rail-sections. When the nuts lo have been tullyapplied, thespring tension ot' the locking or lish plates 8 will be l exerted thereagainst and materially decrease l the tendency ot' the nuts to loosen. Theloclithreaded terminals thereof and gradually ading or fish plates 8 after the ribs 9 at the upper ends thereof contact with the webs of the rail-sections will be spaced tance from the web of the rail-sections, as clearly shown byy Fig. 3, and the nuts 16 can be still further tightened to a limited extent and increase the spring-pressure on the said nuts. Moreover, by the use of the ribs 9 the inner surfaces of the angle or looking plates 8 will be prevented from sticking to the opposite sides of the webs of the rail-sections, and when it is desired to separate the rail ends and the bolts 15 are loosened by adjusting the nuts outwardly thereon the locking or iish plates will spring out and facilitate the withdrawal of the members of lthe joint after the coupling rod or bolt 13 has been detached.

The improved joint will be found exceptionally advantageous in its construction and arrangement, is capable of being quickly applied, and is of a strong and durable nature. Changes in the proportions, dimensions, and

minor details may be resorted to without in the least departing from the spirit of the invention.

l l l apart a short dis- Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new isA In a rail-joint, the combination with railsections, of joint members applied against the opposite sides of said contiguous sections and each having an upwardly-projecting resilient fish-plate rising from an upwardly-inclined covering-flange integrally formed with a baseiiange, a space being provided between the base-flange and covering-angeto receive one sideofeach oftheflangesoftherailsections,the base-flange at the center having a solid braceblock integrally formed therewith with a smooth opening extending therethrough, the brace-block having' lower inwardly-beveled corners, a single bolt extending through the brace-blocks of the opposing members and bolts engaging the resilient fish-plates and the wedges of the rail-sections.

1n testimony whereof I afiix my signature in 45 presence of two witnesses.

VHEELER E. PALMER. lVitnesses:

FLOYD R. VVHALEY, W. E. SPENCER. 

